Wire rope suspension system and rope connector for rotary dryers and the like

ABSTRACT

A rotary, horizontally-extending tube-dryer, kiln, washer and the like, suspended by sets of wire ropes from over head sheaves for rotation. Each of the wire ropes and its sheave are rotatable independently of the others, and each rope comprises a length connected at its ends by a connector to make it endless, and each connector includes elements to enable shifting the length thereof bodily relative to the body of the connector to distribute the wear to different portions of the rope to prolong its life. Each connector is also constructed to enable replacement of any rope independently of the others without jacking up the tube or shifting the sheave over which the rope extends, and guide elements on one or more connectors of each set of ropes cooperate with stationary members to support the connectors when out of contact with the sheaves or tube. Also, the tube-supporting wire ropes, in some installations, support the tube against lateral swaying without the use of rollers in fixed positions at the sides of the tube, a pair of supporting sheaves being provided for each rope.

United States Patent Hurst [451 June 13, 1972 [54] WIRE ROPE SUSPENSION SYSTEM AND ROPE CONNECTOR FOR ROTARY DRYERS AND THE LIKE George P. Hurst, 235 Hill Street, Jackson, Calif. 95642 [22] Filed: Jan.4, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 103,634

[72] Inventor:

Primary Examiner-John J. Camby Attorney-Boyken, Mohler, Foster & Schwab [57] ABSTRACT A rotary, horizontally-extending tube-dryer, kiln, washer and the like, suspended by sets of wire ropes from over head sheaves for rotation. Each of the wire ropes and its sheave are rotatable independently of the others, and each rope comprises a length connected at its ends by a connector to make it endless, and each connector includes elements to enable shifting the length thereof bodily relative to the body of the connector to distribute the wear to different portions of the rope to prolong its life. Each connector is also constructed to enable replacement of any rope independently of the others without jacking up the tube or shifting the sheave over which the rope extends, and guide elements on one or more connectors of each set of ropes cooperate with stationary members to support the connectors when out of contact with the sheaves or tube. Also, the tube-supporting wire ropes, in some installations, support the tube against lateral swaying without the use of rollers in fixed positions at the sides of the tube, a pair of supporting sheaves being provided for each rope.

16 Claims, l9 Drawing Fi gures PATENTEDJUH 1 3 m2 3, 5 69 43 3 SHEET 2 BF 5 INVENTOR.

GEORGE P. HURST 92 MMIM AT TORNEYS PATENTEDJUH 13 m2 7 3,669,433

SHEET u or 5 FIIGJZ PIC-3.13 85 INVENTOR. GEORGE F? HURST MaW ATTORNEYS PATENTEDJUH 13 I972 3, 669,433

SHEET 5 BF 5 Juuuullu INVENTOR. GEORGE P. HU RST I now, W z ATTORNEYS BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The present invention is an improvement over the invention disclosed in my prior United States Letters Patents Nos. 3,097,834 of July 16, 1963 and 3,401,924 of Sept. 17 1968.

Where the connectors for a plurality of wire ropes for supporting a rotary dryer are secured together as a unit, as has heretofore been done, and travel over a sheave or sheaves, said connectors project outwardly of the sheaves and dryer. During longitudinal movement of the ropes around the sheaves, the connectors, when so secured together, support each other against falling to one side or the other of the plane of the rope connected by a connector.

While the foregoing structure has been successful, it has been found that any unequal tension on the wire ropes of a set connected together as above described will normally cock the connected set of connectors slightly out of the planes of the respective wire ropes of the set. This results in accelerated wear on the wire ropes.

Also, it was found that, irrespective of the accelerated wear above-mentioned, the strands of wire in the ropes would initially weaken, after prolonged use, at the points of entry and exit from the connectors. This, presumably, was due to the slight flexing of the wire ropes at these points in moving around the sheaves and the tube supported thereby. The points at which the strands weakened were definitely localized points on one of the sides of the ropes.

Heretofore, replacement of the wire ropes required bending their end portions to generally U-shape to position said end portions in similarly arcuately-extending recesses in the halves of each connector. It was relatively difficult to bend the two rope ends into a U-shape and to enclose them within the recesses. Also, in the above-mentioned Patent No. 3,401,924, the opposite ends of each wire rope were swaged onto ferrules, and the ferrules were then threaded for the ropetightening nuts that reacted against the body of each connector to tighten the rope. The threading operation had to be performed after the ferrules were swaged onto the ends of the rope, which was relatively costly. Also, great care was required to prevent damaging the threads while installing the rope ends.

Furthermore, heretofore, the replacement of the wire ropes, while more readily accomplished and at far less expense than replacing rollers in roller-supported rotary dryers, required disassembly of the entire set of connectors that were secured together, and lowering the sheave supporting frame to provide the desired slack in the wire ropes or jacking up the dryer to provide said slack. This was objectionable, being time consuming and expensive.

Heretofore the lateral swinging of the dryer or kiln, when supported by wire ropes, was accomplished by providing frame-supported rollers at opposite sides of the dryer-cylinder or drum, requiring the use of a wear ring on the dryer for en-' gagement with the rollers. This was expensive to install and to maintain, as well as being noisy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides structure in the sets of wire rope connectors for the wire ropes suspending a rotary dryer which are separate from each other in each set, and the ropes may be slacked, or tightened, or replaced independently of the others for adjusting the tension of each of the wire ropes in each set, or for the replacement of one or more of such wire ropes.

In the present structure, the connector for each wire rope includes unthreaded ferrules swaged onto the rope ends, and tightening means removable from the wire ropes to enable slacking the wire ropes, and shifting the ropes longitudinally thereof relative to the connectors, as well as tightening the ropes without disassembling the body of each connector.

The end portions of the wire ropes in the present invention extend straight and approximately tangentially from the arc of the sheaves and dryer, when moving around them, and the tensioning means applies force directly longitudinally of said straight end portions, thus facilitating the replacement of wire ropes and the tightening and slacking of each wire rope as well as bodily shifting each rope longitudinally thereof, and, if desired, the rotation of each rope relative to the connector.

Periodic shifting of each rope longitudinally thereof relative to the connector changes the points of flexure at the connector, and periodic rotation of the rope changes the surface of the rope that contacts the sheaves and dryer. The said shifting of the rope materially extends the life of each rope. Inasmuch as the connectors of each set of ropes are not connected to each other, any differences in their tensions will not cause the connectors to be "cocked out of the respective planes of the wire ropes, thus also eliminating any undesirable localized wear on the ropes at their points of entry into the connectors due to the cocking of the connectors.

The suspension structure or arrangement of the wire ropes for suspending the dryer, in the present invention, prevents lateral swinging of the dryer without the use of rollers or other similar means engaging the dryer. This reduces noise in the operating parts to a minimum, and the costs of materials, operation and maintenance.

In the present invention, each wire rope in each set thereof extends over a sheave that in turn may or may not be rotatable relative to the other sheaves, but where the sheaves are separate and independently rotatable the ropes in each set are free to move longitudinally of each other free from slippage on the sheaves in the event they are unequally tensioned thus reducing wear and operating expense. Ropes in a set that are of greater tension than the others will creep ahead of the lower tensioned ropes, if free to move. This fact, in the present invention, enables an operator to readily observe any unequal tension by the positions of the connectors of a set relative to each other, particularly where the connectors of each set are aligned longitudinallyof the tube whereby the tension may be readily equalized by tightening or loosening the under-tensioned or over-tensioned ropes.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the main objects of the invention are to provide structure for prolonging the life of the wire ropes and for reducing the costs of construction, and maintenance, in dryers, kilns and any sort of revolvable tubes that are suspended by wire ropes from sheaves for rotation of the sheaves and tubes about their axes, and to maintain the rope-suspended dryers or tubes against swinging laterally during operation. 7

Certain structure hereinafter disclosed may not be used in tubes other than kilns, where longitudinal expansion of the tubes due to application of heat is relatively negligible or nonexistent. In long kilns where relatively high temperatures are employed, structure is provided to insure the coplanar positioning of the ropes, sheaves and similar rope-receiving DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a semi-diagrammatic side-elevational view of a horizontally-extending tube and sets of guide elements for the rope connectors, the sheaves,ropes, and rope connectors not being shown, and the guide elements being indicated in single and broken lines.

FIG. 2 is a simplified, enlarged, top plan view of several sets of connector-guides as seen from line 2-3 of FIG. 1, the sheaves and ropes being shown in their positions relative to the guides and to the tube supported by the ropes.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged,cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1 in which the ropes, guides, sheaves, and rope connectors for both of the different sets of FIG. 2 are shown in simplified form.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, side-elevational view of one of the rope connectors indicated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view generally along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view substantially along line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a side-elevational view of one of the elements shown in FIG. 4, separate from the connector.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the element of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is an end view of the element shown in FIG. 5, including the worm in mesh with the threads carried by said element, the worm shaft being in cross section.

FIG. 10 is an end view of another of the body elements shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view along line 11-11 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 12 is a side-elevational view of another of the connectors shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged side-elevational view of one of the halves of the connector of FIG. 12 showing the recesses for the rope ends. The connecting bolts for the halves are sectioned as is the tightening and holding structure at one of the ends of the rope.

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of the connector shown in FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 shows a pair of the connectors of FIG. 12 alongside each other, one of the connectors and the connector guides being in cross section and a portion of the tube and rope support being shown in cross section.

FIG. 16 is a side-elevational view of a modified form of connector similar to that of FIGS. 12, 13 but showing a structure enabling a greater number of longitudinal shifts of the wire rope, and therefore insuring a longer life. Also the rope tensioning and relaxing means is reversed from that shown in FIG. 13. I

FIG. 17 is an end-elevational view of a tube supported from a single central row of main sheaves.

FIG. 18 is an enlarged side-elevational view of one set of guide strips shown in FIG. 17 as seen from line 18-18 of FIG. 17, the sheaves and tube being omitted.

FIG. 19 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of a portion of the guide mounting means as seen from line 19-19 of FIG. 18.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Tube 1 may be a rotary kiln or a tube in which the material being dried or otherwise processed is positioned or through which it is moved. Said tube extends horizontal or may be inclined relative to horizontal and is suspended within sets of endless wire ropes 2, 3 (FIGS. 2, 3). While said ropes are called endless", each is a length of wire rope connected at its ends by a connector, as will hereinafter appear, to form a closed length within which the tube is suspended from overhead supporting sheaves 4.

The axes of the sheaves 4 extend in the same direction as the axis of the tube 1 and said sheaves are preferably independently rotatable on shafts 5 (FIG. 3). Shafts 5, in turn, are held in bearing blocks 6 that in turn are movably supported on cross frame members 7 on posts 8 (FIG. 3) for movement of said blocks longitudinally on said members. Suitable guides on said frame members support or guide the blocks during said movement.

Ropes 3 may be called anti-sway ropes, (FIGS. 2, 3)-and alternate ropes in one or more sets may be used according to the length of the tube. The length of the tube may determine whether other ropes than the anti-sway ropes are used, and the number of anti-sway ropes or sets thereof that are required, inasmuch as they each also function to carry part of the load of the tube and its contents.

Sheaves 4 are in a pair of sets on each cross frame member 7, each set being axially aligned above tube 1 spaced at opposite sides of a vertical medial plane of tube 1 that is therebelow. The ropes 2 extend horizontally between and over the upper sides of all the sheaves of certain sets. Ropes 3 extend over alternate sheaves at opposite sides of the longitudinal medial plane of the tube and not only support the tube, but prevent lateral swaying of the latter, thereby overcoming the objections to the use of conventional rollers for supporting the tube from below, and also eliminating the use of side rollers to prevent lateral sway of the tube where the tube has heretofore been solely suspended from ropes such as ropes 2, or by ropes extending only over sheaves positioned centrally over the tube.

The sets of wire ropes 2, which are the main tube supporting ropes, extend over both overhead sheaves in each pair.

In relatively short tubes, the arrangement of sheaves and ropes 3 may constitute the full support for the tube. Obviously, in any installation, the number of anti-sway ropes may be limited as to number and position to only those required to prevent lateral sway.

The tube, itself, may be rotated by any suitable conventional drive means such as a power-driven pinion-gear connection generally designated 9 (FIG. 1), or any other suitable means.

In kilns and the like, what are known as dog legs develop.

These may be localized along the length of the kiln, and constitute a section of the tube 1 that is out of axial alignment with the remainder of the tube. While heretofore rollers have supported the kiln in the conventional manner, it is apparent that load taken by such rollers will vary with each revolution of the kiln, which places varying strains on the tube and on its supporting structure.

In the present structure in which wire ropes support the tube, each of the bearing blocks 6 supporting the sheaves 4 at one side of a medial plane extending longitudinally of the tube 1 is slidably supported on a cross frame member 7 and is connected with one end of a rod 10 (FIG. 3). The opposite end of each rod has an adjusting nut 11 thereon, and a helical spring 12 reacts between a plate 13 on rod 10, and a fixed plate 14 rigid with each cross-frame member 7. This spring takes part of the weight of the kiln and will flex to compensate for a dogleg that may develop in the kiln or tube.

The other bearing block 6 at the opposite side of the aforesaid medial plane which may be specifically designated 6 is connected with a rotatable rod 15 that threadedly extends through a member 16 rigid on member 7, the bearing block 6' being slidably supported on a guide 17. By this simple means, the stretch of the wire ropes that occurs in normal use, is compensated for by rotating the threaded rods 15 to move the sheaves on blocks 6' outwardly for raising the kiln, or inwardly for lowering it at the points where the sheaves are positioned.

The wall of tube 1 may be thickened where the respective sets of wire ropes are positioned, and spaced, parallel. Bars 18 (FIG. 15), rigid on the thickened portion support annular tracks generally designated 19. These tracks may be generally of T-shape similar in cross-sectional contour to railway tracks,

each having base flanges 20 and a web 21 perpendicular thereto projecting outwardly therefrom with a thickened head 22. Each head is formed with circumferentially extending, generally U-shaped groove 23 in which one of the wire ropes is seated. The tracks may each be in a pair or more of segments in end-to-end relation connected by fish plates 24, one of which may include a spacer portion 25 for spacing the tracks. Rings 26 at the ends of each set of tracks, rigid with bars 18, secure the tracks together onthe bars 18. i

The form of rope connector shown in FIG. 4 for connecting the ends of each wire rope comprises a body portion generally designated 27 (FIG. 4) that is divided into a pair of halves 28, 29 (FIG. 5). These halves each have a thickened body portion formed with corresponding opposedly facing, generally X- shaped recesses 30 of sufficient depth at their intersection (FIG. 5) for crossing of the end portions of each rope.

The half 28 is formed along its upper inner side with a right angle recess 33 (FIGS. 5, 6) in which the central rectangular portion 34 (FIG. 5) of a horizontally-elongated beam element generally designated 35 (FIGS. 7, 8) is slidably positioned for longitudinal movement. Said central portion 34 is rectangular in cross-sectional contour (FIG. 5) and at each of its ends are projections 36 (FIGS. 4, 7) that overlie and are spaced from the opposite ends of the body portions 28, 29 of the connector 27.

Also, the lateral side of said beam element 35 between projections 36, receives an upper portion of the connector-half 28 (FIG. 5). In this manner the beam element 35 may be moved longitudinally in one direction or the other within the limits of the space between projections 36.

An elongated upward projection 38 on portion 34 of beam element 35 is rigid with the latter and parallel therewith (FIGS. 7-9). This projection is arcuate in cross-sectional contour (FIGS. 5, 9) and is formed with threads 39 on its generally upwardly and laterally facing side (FIG. 8) for engagement with the threads of a worm gear 40 for moving the beam 35 longitudinally thereof upon rotation of said worm gear.

A guide and retaining screw 41 secured to portion 34 of beams 35 midway between its ends extends through an elongated slot 42 (FIG. 4) that is formed in the upper portion of the body half 28, with the head of said screw overlying and slidably engaging the outer surface of half 28 (FIGS. 4, 5).

The projections 36 are each formed with a laterally opening recess 43 (FIG. 9), one side of which is arcuate and concentric with the opening formed in each end of the connector by the recesses 30 for the wire rope 2 or 3.

Half 29 of each connector (FIG. corresponds in outline with the outline of half 28, except that it is not formed with a recess, such as shown at 33 in FIG. 5, and half 29 is formed with a top plate 44 (FIG. 9) integral therewith, which plate projects laterally over the upper edge of the half 28 when the two halves are bolted together by bolts 45 (FIG. 5). Also, plates 44 project oppositely outwardly of the end edges of the connector halves 28, 29.

A bearing cap 46 (FIGS. 4, 6) is secured on top of each plate 44 by screws, and the plate 44 and cap 46 are complementarily recessed on their adjacent sides to provide bearings for a horizontally-elongated shaft 48 (FIG. 6) on the ends of which are spline-teeth 49 (FIG. 4) in engagement with teeth of a gear 50 that, in turn, is secured on ferrules 51 swaged on the ends of the wire rope.

Secured on shaft 48 is also a worm or bevel gear 52, the teeth of which are in mesh with the teeth of a gear 53 on a shaft 54. Shaft 53 is rotatably supported in an upward projection on one of the bearing caps 46. Shaft 54 may be rotated in any manner by means of any suitable wrench or tool engageable with one end of the shaft 54 (FIG. 5).

When the ends of wire rope 3 extend through the connector in crossing relation within recesses in said connector, their terminal end portions will project outwardly of opposite ends of the connector body formed by halves 28, 29, and said terminal ends each have the cylindrical ferrules 51 swaged thereon. Gears 50 are releasably secured onto said ferrules and disposed between each ferrule 51 and end projection 36 of each beam member is a nut 58 adapted to bear against the projection 36 adjacent thereto and a hollow cap screw 59 having its shank 60 threadedly engaging the threads in nut 58.

sheave and tube 1, and will also change the points of flexure of the rope 2 where they enter the connector. This shifting of the connector and rotation of the rope may be in either direction within the limits of the space between the projections 36.

Insofar as the connector body 27 is concerned, the provision of a bridge piece 64 between the points of entry of the ends of the wire rope into the connector, is highly important, and is also present in the connectors shown in my prior patents hereinbefore mentioned.

This bridge piece 64 supports each connector in a set in a position projecting outwardly of the drum and sheaves when the connectors move around them.

A post 65 is secured to each bearing cap 46 and a roller 66 is rotatably supported on the outer end of each post. These rollers move between pairs of guide strips 67 (FIGS. 2, 3) as they are carried by the wire ropes 2 across the gaps between the tube 1 and the sheaves 4, and where the wire ropes extend across the upper horizontal gap between the pairs of main sheaves 4 that support the tube 1, similar sets of guides 68 are provided.

The guide strips 67 that extend divergently upwardly from points slightly below the level of the center of the tube are pivotally supported at their upper ends on end frame member 7 that extend between and connect the corresponding ends of frame member 7, by pivots 69, for swinging of the lower ends of the guides to positions longitudinally of the tube.

By initially positioning the guides 67 so they will be in planes perpendicular to the planes of sheaves 4 afterlongitudinal expansion of a kiln supported by the ropes has occurred under heat, the ropes will not be injured by the short period of time the guides will be out of said planes when the kiln is cool. In short tubes and where the longitudinal expansion of the tube is negligible, the guides may be fixed to be in the planes of the sheaves at all times.

As seen in FIG. 3 the lower ends of the sets of guides 67 at each side of the tube may be adjustable by a hand wheel 70 on a threaded shaft 71 that threadedly extends through a member 72 that is connected with the lower ends of the guides. Cross The head 61 of each cap screw engages the adjacent end of ferrule 51 that is swaged on the end of the rope. Nuts 58 engage each projection 36 on beam 35.

The nuts 58 and cap screws 59 are each slotted along one of their sides at 62 (FIG. 11) to permit their lateral removal from the wire rope when the slots are in registration to provide slack for replacing each rope without threading them onto the ferrules. The gears 50 are readily removable from and replaceable on the ferrules 51.

From the foregoing it is seen that rotation of shaft 48 will effect rotation of gears 50 and consequent rotation of the wire rope 3. Also, said rotation of shaft 48 will move the connector relative to the wire rope, longitudinally of the latter. These movements will change the side of each rope that is against the pieces 73 connect the guides of each set, including theirupper ends, the pivot 69 being centrally between the ends of an upper cross piece.

The types of connectors shown in FIGS. 12-15, and indicated on the anti-sway ropes 3 in FIG. 3, are of a less complex structure than the connector of FIG. 4 in that they do not incorporate the means for rotating the wire ropes nor the same means for shifting the ropes longitudinally thereof relative to the connectors. v

In FIGS. 14, 15, for example, the body 74 of each connector comprises a pair of halves 7576 having the oppositely opening recesses 77 (FIG. 13) for the ends of each rope 3, said recesses being sufficiently wide to permit crossing of the ropes above the bridge piece 79, and a nut 80 and cap screw 81 corresponding to nut 58 and cap screw 59 are set at opposite edges of the body formed by halves 75, 76. Said edges are recessed at 82 to receive the nuts 80, and the heads of the cap screws engage ferrules 51 that are swaged onto the outer ends of the wire ropes. Rotation of each or either cap screw in opposite directions, by a wrench, will cause the ropes to shift longitudinally of the connectors, and as said nuts and cap screws are laterally slotted, as shown in FIG. 11, for removal from the ropes, ropes may be slackened sufficiently to enable a quick removal and replacement of ropes in each connector, independent of the others, without difficulty. The combination of the nuts and cap screws also enable tightening and loosening the tension of the ropes.

Half 76 of each connector 74 includes a lateral projection 85 at its upper end that extends centrally over the upper end of half 75 when the halves are bolted together by bolts 86. This projection carries an upstanding shaft 87, as viewed in FIGS. 12, 13, which shaft, in turn, carries a guide roller 88 that corresponds to either of the rollers 66.

Guide strips 89 (FIG. 2) correspond to guide strips 67, and are secured together and mounted in the same manner as strips 67. Rollers 88 pass between the pairs of guide strips 67 as the connectors are carried by ropes therepast whereby the connectors are prevented from falling over too far when out of engagement with the sheaves or tube or the tracks on the tube.

Guide strips 90 are along and parallel with the lengths of rope 3 that extend slantingly from one side of the tube 1 across the medial vertical plane of the tube to the sheave at the other side. These guide strips function in the same manner as guide strips 89 to prevent the connectors from falling to one side or the other of the rope 3.

An angle strip 91 extending longitudinally of the tube 1 is secured to the upper ends of the guide strips 90 (FIG. 3) and an upright post or standard 92 at the ends of angle strip 91 supports the strip 91 on the cross frame members 7. A strip 93 is secured to the lower ends of the guide strips 90 at each side of tube 1 and depending posts 94 secured to the ends of each strip 93 are secured at their upper ends to frame members 7.

FIG. 17 shows a tube 96 which may be inclined or horizontal, and which tube may be supported by sets of main wire ropes 97, each extending over a single sheave 98 centrally positioned above the tube. Pairs of anti-sway ropes such as shown in FIG. 3 may support the tube 96 at other points along its length, it being understood that any number of sets of main ropes 97 may be spaced along the tube.

FIG. 18 shows an enlarged set of guide strips 99 as seen from line 18-18 of FIG. 17. A similar set of strips 100 is at the opposite side of the sheaves and tube.

The sets of strips 99, 100 as viewed in FIG. 18 are for seven separate supporting ropes 97. The guide strips of each set are connected by angle strips 101, 102 that are adjustably bolted at their ends to cross frame members 103 (FIG. 19) by bolts 104. Frame members 103 are supported on posts 105.

The guide strips 99, 100 perform the same function as guide strips 67.

Sheaves 98 in each set thereof may be connected for rotation together, or may be rotatable independently of each other. The advantage of independent rotation has been explained. A shaft 106 supports the set of sheaves, the ends of said shaft being supported in bearing blocks 107 on cross frame members 103.

FIG. 16 shows a connector having a body 108 that may be the same as the body of connector 74. The connection between the body and the rope enables a greater number of longitudinal shifts of the rope 97 than in any of the other arrangements.

Each body 108 may carry a guide roller 109 adapted to move between adjacent pairs of guide strips 99, 100.

The ends of each wire rope 97 has a ferrule 109 inseparably swaged thereon, and in this form of invention the head of a cap-screw 110 is seated in a recess in opposite edges of the body 108 and the shank or stem of said cap-screw is threaded into a nut 1 11. Nut 1 1 1 engages a washer 1 12.

One terminal end portion of rope 97 extends centrally through the cap-screw 110, nut 111 and washer 112 and centrally through a row of spacers 1 13 are interposed between the washer 112 and one of the ferrules 109.

The opposite terminal end portion of rope 97 extends centrally through a cap-screw 110 having its head seated in the recess at the opposite side of body 108 and the shank or stem of said cap-screw is threaded into a nut 111. Nut 111 at said opposite side of the body engages a washer 112 that is seated against the ferrule 109 on said opposite terminal end portion of the rope.

Washers 114 may be respectively positioned between each ferrule and the end spacer 113, at one side of the body, and between nut 1 l and the ferrule 109 at the opposite side of the body 108.

In this arrangement the cap screws 110 and washers 112, 114 are side slotted to be laterally removable from the rope when its tension is slackened, but the nuts 111 need not be side slotted. Upon slacking the rope and removal of washers 1 14 the nuts 111 may be slipped over the ferrules inasmuch as the threaded bores of the nuts are of greater diameter than the outside diameters of the ferrules.

Upon rotating either or both of the nuts 111 in one direction, the rope will be tensioned when around a sheave and the tube, and rotation in the opposite direction will slack the rope to pennit removal of one of the spacers 113 and a shift of the connector and rope relatively to enable positioning the removed spacer on the other terminal end portion of the rope. The tube 1 will be supported by the unslacked ropes during this shift. The nuts 1 11 may then be extended on the shanks of the cap-screws to tension the rope.

Several such longitudinal shifts of the rope may be made and with each shift, the points of the flexure at 115 (FIG. 16) will change.

In actual practice, using sets of eight new wire ropes, each being five eights of an inch in diameter, and each having six outer strands of 26 wiresrto a strand, and said sets supporting a loaded tube 7 ft. in diameter with the ropes extending around sheaves four and 1% feet in diameter, it was found that after 800,000 revolutions of the sheaves without shifting the rope longitudinally thereof relative to the connectors, the wires were broken at the points 115 (FIG. 16) to the degree that replacement was desirable.

Using the same equipment and load and new ropes identical to those above noted, the ropes were shifted longitudinally thereof relative to the connectors at the end of each 300,000 revolutions of the sheaves to position a new strand at the flexing point with each shift, and at the end of substantially more than one million revolutions of the sheaves, only approximately six of the wires in'a different strand were broken at the flexure point 115 during said shifts, and the strands remained twisted, giving every identification that the useful and safe life of the ropes would be at least doubled. v

Broadly, the cap-screw, nut, and spacers where used, disposed between the ferrule on the tenninal end of the'rope and the body of each connector comprises extensible and retractable means for tensioning and relaxing the length of the rope between its end portions. This extensible and retractable means, plus the fact that the body of the connector is separable to expose the passageways for the terminal end portions of the rope also enables removal and replacement of any one of the ropes of a set thereof independently of the others.

While the adjacent pairs of guide strips are preferable, it is seen that the ropes of each set may be positioned sufficiently close together so that only a pair of outermost guide strips may be used along the lengths of the ropes where the connectors are unsupported by the sheaves or the tube.

I claim:

1. In a combination that includes a horizontally elongated tube for carrying material for processing a plurality of sheaves spaced above and supported over said tube for rotation about an axis parallel with the longitudinal axis of said tube, wire ropes disposed in planes substantially perpendicular to said axis respectively extending around said tube and sheaves suspending said tube from said sheaves for rotation of said tubes and sheaves together, each of said ropes terminating in opposite end portions, the improvement comprising:

a. a rigid connector connecting said opposite end portions of each rope comprising a main body,

b. rope holding means on the end portions of each rope including an enlargement rigid on said end portion, and elements respectively extensible and retractable longitudinally relative to said body disposed between and reacting against said body and each enlargement for tensioning and relaxing each rope relative to the sheave over which each rope extends and relative to said tube and for shifting each rope relative to said body in a direction longitudinally of each rope.

2. In the combination as defined in claim 1;

c. said enlargement comprising a ferrule swag'ed onto the terminal end portion of each rope, and said elements including a cap screw in engagement with each ferrule and through which each rope extends axially thereof and means threadedly supporting each screw at said body for so tensioning and relaxing each rope upon rotation of said screws in one direction or the other.

3. In a combination as defined in claim 1;

c. said rope holding means including at least one spacer on each rope disposed between one enlargement thereon and the elements adjacent thereto,

cl. said spacer being removable from said rope upon relaxing the tension of the latter and replaceable on the opposite end of said rope between the other enlargement and the elements adjacent the latter for holding said rope in a different position relative to said body upon such replacement and extension of said elements for re-tensioning said rope.

4. In a combination as defined in claim 1, in which said plurality of wire ropes and sheaves are in groups at a plurality of spaced locations along said tube,

0. means supporting the sheaves of each group for rotation independently of each other,

d. each of said connectors projecting outwardly of the sheaves and tube and said sheaves and tube each having annular radially outwardly opening grooves in which said connectors are seated and held in positions extending generally radially outwardly of said sheaves and tube during movement therearound, when said connectors are in said grooves,

e. a rigid frame supporting said sheaves,

f. guide means respectively on said connectors and on said frame in cooperative relation for supporting said connectors approximately in the plane of the ropes respectively connected thereby during movement of said connectors with said ropes when said connectors are out of said grooves.

5. In a combination as defined in claim 1 in which said plurality of wire ropes and sheaves are in groups at spaced locations along said tube;

c. the sheaves of one or more of said groups being disposed in pairs in planes perpendicular to the axis of said tube and offset to opposite sides of the vertical medial plane of said tube extending longitudinally of said axis, said ropes of said one or more of said groups extending over only one of the sheaves of each pair at each of the opposite sides of said plane whereby said tube will be supported against swaying laterally of its length during rotation of said tube and sheaves.

. In the combination as defined in claim 5;

e. means supporting the sheaves of said groups for rotation independently of each other,

each of said connectors projecting outwardly of the sheaves and tube and said sheaves and tube each having annular, radially outwardly opening grooves in which said connectors are seated and held in positions extending generally radially outwardly of said sheaves and tube during movement therearound when said connectors are in said grooves, g. a rigid frame supporting said sheaves,

guide means respectively on said connectors and on said frame in cooperative relation for supporting said connectors approximately in the plane of the ropes respectively connected thereby during movement of said connectors with said ropes when said connectors are out of said grooves.

In the combination as defined in claim 1;

c. said plurality of wire ropes and sheaves being in separate groups spaced longitudinally of said tube,

d. a rigid frame including sheave supporting frame members,

e. said sheaves in each group being rotatable independently of each other and of the sheaves in other groups,

f. the sheaves in said groups being in pairs with the sheaves of each pair being disposed at opposite sides of the medial longitudinal plane of said tube,

g. a pair of shafts respectively supporting the pairs of sheaves at each of said sides of said plane for said rotation of said sheaves thereon,

h. bearing means supporting each of said shafts on said frame members at each of said sides of said frame, and yieldable means operatively connected with the bearing means at one side of said frame and with said frame for yieldably supporting the load transmitted to the sheaves at said one side through the ropes extending over said last-mentioned sheaves,

i. means supporting the bearing means for the sheaves at the other side of said plane for reciprocable movement toward and away from said plane, and means connected with said last-mentioned bearing means for moving the latter to different adjusted positions toward and away from said plane and for holding said last-mentioned bearing means in each of its adjusted positions.

8. In apparatus of the type having a generally horizontally disposed tube for carrying material therein for processing, suspended below an overhead sheave, for rotation, by one or more wire ropes extending around said sheave and tube: a. a rope connector for connecting opposite ends of each such rope comprising a body having a sheave-engaging side adapted to engage the outer peripheral side of a tube-support ing sheave during rotation of such sheave and tube, and said body having two opposite sides adjacent to and extending away from said sheave engaging side when said sheave-engaging side is in engagement with said outer peripheral side,

b. said body being formed with a pair of open ended passageways opening outwardly of said sheave-engaging side at one of their ends and respectively extending approximately diagonally across said body and each opening outwardly of one of said two opposite sides at their other ends, said passageways being adapted to receive therein the opposite end portions of such rope in positions extending approximately diagonally across said body with the ends of such rope adjacent said opposite ends of said passageways for engagement with rope holding and tensioning means for holding said ropes against withdrawal from said body and for tensioning said rope when in operative position supporting a tube suspended below such sheave,

c. said one of the ends of said passageways opening oppositely outwardly relative to each other in directions extending generally tangentially of a circular line defining the outer periphery of the sheave over which the body is adapted to move, and said sheave engaging side comprising a bridge piece extending between said one of the ends of said passageway curved longitudinally to substantially follow the curvature of such line.

9. In a rope connector as defined in claim 8; d. said passageways being in intersecting relation intermediate their ends for receiving said end portions of rope in crossing relation at the intersections of said passageways, and the open ends of said passageways being disposed in a single plane.

10. In a rope connector as defined in claim 8 in combination with a wire rope having its opposite end portions positioned within said passageways with the terminal end portions of said rope projecting outwardly of said body;

d. a ferrule spaced outwardly of said body secured on each of the projecting end portions of said rope at their terminal ends,

e. means on said projecting end portions positioned between said body and said respective ferrules and in engagement with said body and ferrules expandable and retractable longitudinally of said end portions for relaxing and tensioning each rope and for shifting each rope longitudinally thereof relative to said body for changing any fixed localized flexing points along each rope at said body.

1 l. A wire rope connector for connecting the opposite ends of a wire rope adapted to extend over overhead rotatably supported sheaves and below a generally horizontally disposed tube for suspending said tube and a load carried therein from said sheave for rotation of the sheaves and tube, comprising:

a. a body formed therein with a pair of open ended passageways in intersecting relation intermediate their ends for receiving the opposite end portions of said wire rope in crossing relation at the intersection of said passageways with the terminal end portions of said passageways with the terminal end portions of said rope being adjacent one of the open ends of said pair of passageways at opposite points on said body, and with the length of such rope between said opposite end portions extending outwardly of the other ends of said passageways when said end portions are in said passageways,

b. an elongated bridge piece integral with said body extending between said other ends of said passageway defining an outer surface of said body adapted to engage said sheave upon such rotation of said sheave,

c. said passageways extending generally tangentially relative to the outer circular periphery of the sheave over which each rope is to extend whereby such terminal end portions respectively thereon will extend generally tangentially relative to such peripheries when said end portions of the rope are in said passageways,

d. said open ends of said passageways and said bridge piece being in the same plane.

12. In a connector as defined in claim 1 l;

c. said body being in halves having their opposed engaging surfaces formed with recesses defining said passageways,

f. a roller carried by each connector and positioned outwardly of the side opposite to said bridge piece for engaging stationary guide means when said connector and the rope connected thereby are in a tube supporting position extending around such sheave and tube and is moved during movement of said rope around such sheave and tube. 13. A connector as defined in claim 1 1, in combination with the terminal end portions of a rope positioned within said passageways in crossing relation and projecting outwardly of two opposite sides of said body with the remaining portion of said rope between said terminal end portions extending from the open ends of said passageways of said bridge piece;

c. said body being in halves having opposed engaging surfaces respectively formed with recesses defining the sides of said passageways,

f. an unthreaded ferrule rigid with the projecting ends of said portions adjacent the terminal ends of said portions,

g. rope tensioning and relaxing means between each ferrule and said body around said terminal end portions of said rope movable in opposite directions for tensioning and for relaxing said remaining portion of said rope according to the direction in which such movement is made,

h. said rope tensioning and relaxing means being removable from said temtinal end portions when the latter are within said body whereby said rope may be physically shifted longitudinally thereof relative to said body upon such removal.

14. In the combination as defined in Claim 13;

i. means carried by said body independently of other connectors for releasably securing said halves together,

j. said passageways being of sufficient diameterat the end portions thereof from which said terminal end portions project for movement of the ferrule on each end portion into each such end portion of said passageway when said rope tensioning and relaxing means is removed to facilitate replacement of a wire rope.

15. In the combination as defined in claim 13;

i. said rope tensioning and relaxing means including a capscrew through which each terminal end portion extends axially thereof and a nut supported against each of said opposite sides of said body in threaded engagement with the threads of said cap-screw.

16. In the combination as defined in claim 13;

i. said rope tensioning and relaxing means includes spacers on one of said terminal end portions removably supported on one of said terminal end portions between said capscrews and the ferrule on said end, said spacers being movable from one end portion of said rope to the other between said ferrules and cap-screws for holding the rope in different adjusted ositions relative to said body and longitudinally of said rope when said cap-screws are moved to tension said rope. 

1. In a combination that includes a horizontally elongated tube for carrying material for processing a plurality of sheaves spaced above and supported over said tube for rotation about an axis parallel with the longitudinal axis of said tube, wire ropes disposed in planes substantially perpendicular to said axis respectively extending around said tube and sheaves suspending said tube from said sheaves for rotation of said tubes and sheaves together, each of said ropes terminating in opposite end portions, the improvement comprising: a. a rigid connector connecting said opposite end portions of each rope comprising a main body, b. rope holding means on the end portions of each rope including an enlargement rigid on said end portion, and elements respectively extensible and retractable longitudinally relative to said body disposed between and reacting against said body and each enlargement for tensioning and relaxing each rope relative to the sheave over which each rope extends and relative to said tube and for shifting each rope relative to said body in a direction longitudinally of each rope.
 2. In the combination as defined in claim 1; c. said enlargement comprising a ferrule swaged onto the terminal end portion of each rope, and said elements including a cap screw in engagement with each ferrule and through which each rope extends axially thereof and means threadedly supporting each screw at said body for so tensioning and relaxing each rope upon rotation of said screws in one direction or the other.
 3. In a combination as defined in claim 1; c. said rope holding means including at least one spacer on each rope disposed between one enlargement thereon and the elements adjacent thereto, d. said spacer being removable from said rope upon relaxing the tension of the latter and replaceable on the opposite end of said rope between the other enlargement and the elements adjacent the latter for holding said rope in a different position relative to said body upon such replacement and extension of said elements for re-tensioning said rope.
 4. In a combination as defined in claim 1, in which said plurality of wire ropes and sheaves are in groups at a plurality of spaced locations along said tube, c. means supporting the sheaves of each group for rotation independently of each other, d. each of said connectors projecting outwardly of the sheaves and tube and said sheaves and tube each having annular radially outwardly opening grooves in which said connectors are seated and held in positions extending generally radially outwardly of said sheaves and tube during movement therearound, when said connectors are in said grooves, e. a rigid frame supporting said sheaves, f. guide means respectively on said connectors and on said frame in cooperative relation for supporting said connectors approximately in the plane of the ropes respectively connected thereby during movement of said connectors with said ropes when said connectors are out of said grooves.
 5. In a combination as defined in claim 1 in which said plurality of wire ropes and sheaves are in groups at spaced locations along said tube; c. the sheaves of one or more of said groups being disposed in pairs in planes perpendicular to the axis of said tUbe and offset to opposite sides of the vertical medial plane of said tube extending longitudinally of said axis, d. said ropes of said one or more of said groups extending over only one of the sheaves of each pair at each of the opposite sides of said plane whereby said tube will be supported against swaying laterally of its length during rotation of said tube and sheaves.
 6. In the combination as defined in claim 5; e. means supporting the sheaves of said groups for rotation independently of each other, f. each of said connectors projecting outwardly of the sheaves and tube and said sheaves and tube each having annular, radially outwardly opening grooves in which said connectors are seated and held in positions extending generally radially outwardly of said sheaves and tube during movement therearound when said connectors are in said grooves, g. a rigid frame supporting said sheaves, h. guide means respectively on said connectors and on said frame in cooperative relation for supporting said connectors approximately in the plane of the ropes respectively connected thereby during movement of said connectors with said ropes when said connectors are out of said grooves.
 7. In the combination as defined in claim 1; c. said plurality of wire ropes and sheaves being in separate groups spaced longitudinally of said tube, d. a rigid frame including sheave supporting frame members, e. said sheaves in each group being rotatable independently of each other and of the sheaves in other groups, f. the sheaves in said groups being in pairs with the sheaves of each pair being disposed at opposite sides of the medial longitudinal plane of said tube, g. a pair of shafts respectively supporting the pairs of sheaves at each of said sides of said plane for said rotation of said sheaves thereon, h. bearing means supporting each of said shafts on said frame members at each of said sides of said frame, and yieldable means operatively connected with the bearing means at one side of said frame and with said frame for yieldably supporting the load transmitted to the sheaves at said one side through the ropes extending over said last-mentioned sheaves, i. means supporting the bearing means for the sheaves at the other side of said plane for reciprocable movement toward and away from said plane, and means connected with said last-mentioned bearing means for moving the latter to different adjusted positions toward and away from said plane and for holding said last-mentioned bearing means in each of its adjusted positions.
 8. In apparatus of the type having a generally horizontally disposed tube for carrying material therein for processing, suspended below an overhead sheave, for rotation, by one or more wire ropes extending around said sheave and tube: a. a rope connector for connecting opposite ends of each such rope comprising a body having a sheave-engaging side adapted to engage the outer peripheral side of a tube-supporting sheave during rotation of such sheave and tube, and said body having two opposite sides adjacent to and extending away from said sheave engaging side when said sheave-engaging side is in engagement with said outer peripheral side, b. said body being formed with a pair of open ended passageways opening outwardly of said sheave-engaging side at one of their ends and respectively extending approximately diagonally across said body and each opening outwardly of one of said two opposite sides at their other ends, said passageways being adapted to receive therein the opposite end portions of such rope in positions extending approximately diagonally across said body with the ends of such rope adjacent said opposite ends of said passageways for engagement with rope holding and tensioning means for holding said ropes against withdrawal from said body and for tensioning said rope when in operative position supporting a tube suspended below such sheave, c. said one of the ends of said passageways opening oppositely ouTwardly relative to each other in directions extending generally tangentially of a circular line defining the outer periphery of the sheave over which the body is adapted to move, and said sheave engaging side comprising a bridge piece extending between said one of the ends of said passageway curved longitudinally to substantially follow the curvature of such line.
 9. In a rope connector as defined in claim 8; d. said passageways being in intersecting relation intermediate their ends for receiving said end portions of rope in crossing relation at the intersections of said passageways, and the open ends of said passageways being disposed in a single plane.
 10. In a rope connector as defined in claim 8 in combination with a wire rope having its opposite end portions positioned within said passageways with the terminal end portions of said rope projecting outwardly of said body; d. a ferrule spaced outwardly of said body secured on each of the projecting end portions of said rope at their terminal ends, e. means on said projecting end portions positioned between said body and said respective ferrules and in engagement with said body and ferrules expandable and retractable longitudinally of said end portions for relaxing and tensioning each rope and for shifting each rope longitudinally thereof relative to said body for changing any fixed localized flexing points along each rope at said body.
 11. A wire rope connector for connecting the opposite ends of a wire rope adapted to extend over overhead rotatably supported sheaves and below a generally horizontally disposed tube for suspending said tube and a load carried therein from said sheave for rotation of the sheaves and tube, comprising: a. a body formed therein with a pair of open ended passageways in intersecting relation intermediate their ends for receiving the opposite end portions of said wire rope in crossing relation at the intersection of said passageways with the terminal end portions of said passageways with the terminal end portions of said rope being adjacent one of the open ends of said pair of passageways at opposite points on said body, and with the length of such rope between said opposite end portions extending outwardly of the other ends of said passageways when said end portions are in said passageways, b. an elongated bridge piece integral with said body extending between said other ends of said passageway defining an outer surface of said body adapted to engage said sheave upon such rotation of said sheave, c. said passageways extending generally tangentially relative to the outer circular periphery of the sheave over which each rope is to extend whereby such terminal end portions respectively thereon will extend generally tangentially relative to such peripheries when said end portions of the rope are in said passageways, d. said open ends of said passageways and said bridge piece being in the same plane.
 12. In a connector as defined in claim 11; e. said body being in halves having their opposed engaging surfaces formed with recesses defining said passageways, f. a roller carried by each connector and positioned outwardly of the side opposite to said bridge piece for engaging stationary guide means when said connector and the rope connected thereby are in a tube supporting position extending around such sheave and tube and is moved during movement of said rope around such sheave and tube.
 13. A connector as defined in claim 11, in combination with the terminal end portions of a rope positioned within said passageways in crossing relation and projecting outwardly of two opposite sides of said body with the remaining portion of said rope between said terminal end portions extending from the open ends of said passageways of said bridge piece; e. said body being in halves having opposed engaging surfaces respectively formed with recesses defining the sides of said passageways, f. an unthreaded ferrule rigid with the projecting ends of said portIons adjacent the terminal ends of said portions, g. rope tensioning and relaxing means between each ferrule and said body around said terminal end portions of said rope movable in opposite directions for tensioning and for relaxing said remaining portion of said rope according to the direction in which such movement is made, h. said rope tensioning and relaxing means being removable from said terminal end portions when the latter are within said body whereby said rope may be physically shifted longitudinally thereof relative to said body upon such removal.
 14. In the combination as defined in Claim 13; i. means carried by said body independently of other connectors for releasably securing said halves together, j. said passageways being of sufficient diameter at the end portions thereof from which said terminal end portions project for movement of the ferrule on each end portion into each such end portion of said passageway when said rope tensioning and relaxing means is removed to facilitate replacement of a wire rope.
 15. In the combination as defined in claim 13; i. said rope tensioning and relaxing means including a cap-screw through which each terminal end portion extends axially thereof and a nut supported against each of said opposite sides of said body in threaded engagement with the threads of said cap-screw.
 16. In the combination as defined in claim 13; i. said rope tensioning and relaxing means includes spacers on one of said terminal end portions removably supported on one of said terminal end portions between said cap-screws and the ferrule on said end, said spacers being movable from one end portion of said rope to the other between said ferrules and cap-screws for holding the rope in different adjusted positions relative to said body and longitudinally of said rope when said cap-screws are moved to tension said rope. 